Monday, August 19, 2013

(Update4): Whitehead or Wright Brothers?

Update 4: I guess I just find this on-going controversy interesting...anyway, this is less an update on the Whitehead-Wright battle as it is a collection of other claimants to the title of first flyer. From an aeronautics blog whose writer is apparently an aviation historian:

Although mainstream historians credit the Wright brothers with being the first to conduct a sustained, controlled
flight of a manned, powered aircraft, there are a number of other early aviation pioneers with claims to the same
feat. In addition to the Wrights, I've found at least seven other pioneers with credible claims to the title of
first to fly, some dating back nearly a decade before the success of the Wright Flyer in December 1903. Gustave
Whitehead is just one of these innovators, though his claim is probably stronger than most. Let's take a brief
look at each of these pioneers and their contributions to the development of flight.

Update 3: Looks like the state of Conneticut has thrown the first punch in what's sure to become a battle between it and the state of North Carolina. From a Fox News story today:

The Connecticut Senate passed a bill just after midnight on Wednesday
that would delete the Wright brothers from history, explicitly stripping
recognition for the first powered flight from Orville and Wilbur and
assigning it to someone else.

Also, don't be surprised if the state of Ohio -- the birthplace of Orville; the final resting spot of both Wright brothers -- gets involved as well. In fact, stories like these have a curious way of becoming larger, politically-charged issues. My guess is that we'll hear plenty more on this historically important topic.

Update 2:This article from Fox News has an interesting development in the "Were the Wrights first in flight, or not?" issue. Also, some interesting related history; it's worth a look.